Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-18
THE LETTER.

VIC DatninS season, That Mime. Allc
Vivien first met Roger dc Beaumont.
Roger was finding the hours quit,
tedious at that domestic resort
He had noticed Nine. Vivien, who was
by far, the prettiest Of all the fair bath
ers at the place, and he thought thai
counting her would be very pleasant way
OF varying the monotonous life he was
leading.
Nine Vivien dwelt in pretty cottage
by the seaside. Her husband, detained
In Paris by his business, could only
manage to come down once a week and
remain with her from Saturday to Mon.
day.
At the age of II Alice had been married
to Mr.. Viyien, q gentleman 80 years OF
age. whose devotion to her was blending
of love with fatherly tenderness.
She was an honest, upright woman,
who would have repulsed Roger de Beau
mont had he begun to make love to her.
But the young man was too shrewd to
| proceed in this way. He understood the
young woman's ingenious heart, and he
endeavored to gain her confidence by slow
degrees.
BE was the ideal of her most secret
thoughts; in months time he had
| QcTSGiI
| was aware Of il.
Roger himself was beginning to take an
| interest in the game he was playing. He
even felt growing passion for that ador-
able and artless young woman, and one
evening, while with her at the pierhead,
where they had gone to enjoy the breeze,
he exclaimed, in voice full OF emotion:
81 love your
ha ri 10 oh II, - -,
| that she was offended; but he, whose
| ardor and boldness seemed heightened by
the charm and poetry Of the delightful
evening, continued, in q passionate tone:
Il have loved you since the first day I
saw you! And you love me, tool know
it, feel It'll Only let me worship you.
Don't avoid me- don't repulse me!''
''Hushl for Heavens sake, hushp'
ooh! do not answer me In that way;
me, who adore you; let me hope that YOU
will say that you love mer'
AS he looked at her she seemed ready to
faint; shining teardrops were yelling In
her eyes, and her little hand quivered like
a captive bird.
'Let me CO." said she In a voice
scarcely audible.
He escorted her TO her gate, and, bow
ing low, he said: ~ shall expect an
answer; it will be sentence of death or a
command to live"
An avowal would perhaps have escaped
from Alice's lips had not the noise of
footsteps and the sound of voices fallen on
her ear.
Dreading to be seen, and already as
tinorous as q guilty person, the young
woman withdrew and hastily entered the
house.
Il love him, tool / love himt" muir
INJURED she, and remembering how
anxiously the young man had wished for
an avowal Of her love, feeling her heart
overfiowing, she hastily wrote with a fe-
verish hand:
Roger. | love you, and shall impatient
ly wait for tomorrow. ALICE"
She smiled while thinking of the glad
ness that would fill Rogers heart when
he read her letter, and, notwithstanding
the lateness of the hour, she fastened out
to drop it in tho letter box
She had barely returned to the house
when vague feeling of dread began to
Cypress her. The intoxicating charm that
had possessed her was dissipated, and, to
her mind, came the picture of her husband,
so confiding and loving.
The next day, from the moment she
awoke, she had but one thought, TO get
back her letter.
About 4 o'clock in the aftern BON she
went to the casino, where she was sure to
find Roger, who, Us soon as he saw her,
advanced with outstretched hands, his
eyes beaming with triumphal Joy.
''Sir," said she, yesterday had mo-
ment of folly; forget 1t, please.-I do not
love you, swear it'll have never loved
you'll and ] shall never love you-no,
neverr'
Roger, disappointed, looked at her, Q
wicked smile playing about his lips
lyon are an adorable capricious wo-
man, " said he, somewhat insolently, to |
conceal his vexation.
'Oh, sir, do not be unkind. Please |
give me back the letter so foolishly sent |
youW
"But l appreciate your letter very
much. 1t is charmingr'
''Sir, l am Il faithful wife and love my
husband"
The young man smiled again, and lean
ng toward Alice he looked straighs into
her eyes as he said:
II haven't your letter with me- care
FULLY locked it up at home"
The young woman stepped back in
stinctively.
'Be generous, for heavens sake' Do
what l ask. do not wish TO sec YOU
gain. Send ME back my letter, I be-
'eech you Return it to me through the
,ostofIice."
She begged him with clasped hands
ler face pale with anguish
'Perhapsr replied the young man,
deliberately, bowling gracefully as he
tarted off
She felt like following him, TO tell him
low angry she was, but, some Of her
riends coming up, she was obliged to
top and talk 10 them about indifferent
md frivolous matters while her very soul
vas tortured by impotence aud feelings
f shame.
1t was Thursday, and she thought OF
eaving the next day, as soon as she got
er letter back, picsuring 10 herself the
appiness she would feel in reioining her
usband.
She slept very badly, ut times certain
hat Roger would return her letter, and,
t others, dreading that he would not do /,
0, especially when she remembered his /,
lsolent, ironical look.
About in the morning, Just es the
atigue brought on by her emotion was $
citing her asleep, she vas awakened with /,
start by the sound Of hurried footsteps.
Some one raped at the door.
Alice, 1t is /" called out Mr. vivien's
oyful voice. !
She FASTENED TO let him in, exclaininC !
18th transport: ''Why, IS 1t you already,
was not expecting you for two days yeti" !
Il wished TO surprise you. was able (
, finish all my business little ahead OF =
me, but did not dare send Won word